Former Real Madrid and Spain defender Sergio Ramos is reportedly on the verge of completing a takeover of his boyhood club Sevilla. According to Spanish media reports on Tuesday, Ramos will join forces with investment group Five Eleven Capital to acquire an 80% stake in the Andalusian club for approximately €400 million (£347 million).
The newspaper El Pais reported that each share is valued at around €3,500. The deal still requires approval from La Liga and the Spanish National Sports Council. Sevilla, which has played in the top flight since the 2001-02 season, is currently mired in a relegation battle. Despite winning the Europa League in the 2022-23 campaign, they sit 13th in the La Liga standings, just three points above the relegation zone with three matches remaining—a scenario reminiscent of last season’s narrow escape, when they finished 17th.
Ramos, 40, began his career in Sevilla’s youth academy before moving to Real Madrid in 2005. During his 16 years at the Santiago Bernabéu, he won 22 major trophies, including five La Liga titles, four Champions League crowns, and four Club World Cups. He was a cornerstone of Madrid’s three-peat Champions League triumph from 2016 to 2018. On the international stage, Ramos lifted the World Cup with Spain in 2010 and won the European Championship in 2008 and 2012. After two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, he returned to Sevilla for one campaign in 2023. He left Mexican club Monterrey as a free agent early this year and has not formally announced his retirement, though he stepped away from the national team in 2023. Ramos made 180 appearances for Spain, scoring 23 goals—a remarkable tally for a career central defender.
Reuters has contacted both Sevilla and Five Eleven Capital for comment.